Resource officer Scott McDaniel greets students at Brandywine Elementary on their first day of school in 2025.Tom Russo | Daily Reporter
By Kristy Deer | Daily Reporter
Hancock County school districts recently received more than $300,000 from Indiana’s Secured School Safety Grant Program for the current school year, according to area legislators. While district leaders note they are thankful for the money, the funding is either less or close to the same level from previous years.
With this round of funding, Indiana has invested more than $240 million in school safety since the program started in 2013. The Indiana General Assembly created the matching grant program through legislation passed that year, and placed under Indiana Code 10-21.
Managed by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, the program provides funding to help schools improve safety infrastructure, employ school resource officers and support student mental health.
Area schools receiving school safety grant funding include Eastern Hancock Schools, $24,163.32; Greenfield-Central Community School Corp., $86,000; Mt. Vernon Community School Corp., $86,000; New Palestine Community Schools, $86,000 and Geist Montessori Academy in McCordsville, $21,113.
Greenfield-Central Superintendent Harold Olin noted the $86,000 is appreciated and will be put to good use.
“It is down a bit from the $100,000 mark in previous years, due to more schools requesting funds,” Olin said. “We spend more than four times that amount on police officer salaries alone. We are grateful for the grant, but we still need other ways to support our total safety budget. For most of us, that means we use the Operations Fund to address the rest of the need.”
Mt. Vernon received $86,000 through the school safety grant this year, a slight decrease from $92,500 last year, also due to increased demand for grant funding statewide.
“We remain grateful for the state’s continued support of our safety and security efforts,” Assistant Superintendent Chris Smedley said.
All funding Mt. Vernon receives through the state’s matching safety grant supports the salaries and benefits of the district’s School Resource Officers (SROs).
“Having an SRO in every school significantly contributes to creating and maintaining a safe learning environment for our students, staff, parents and visitors,” Smedley said.
Mt. Vernon administrators noted they prioritize the safety of students and staff, and are grateful for any funding that supplements the more than $360,000 they invested in safety and security in 2025, with even greater investments anticipated this school year.
Craig Smith, communications director for New Palestine Community Schools, said the school district, which has five student-filled buildings to cover, has come to expect and need the funding ($92,000 estimated last year), now more than ever after state legislative cutbacks.
“We were expecting these dollars, and as you can see, it was a reduction in dollars for us compared to last year,” Smith said. We will continue to use these dollars to assist in funding a school resource officer.”
Eastern Hancock schools are connected into one large building with one SRO to oversee school safety. District leaders noted they spend about $95,000 each school year on officers to patrol and keep the schools safe.
“The $95,000, that covers our SRO and additional officers for events when needed, some new AED (automated external defibrillator) equipment and any general supplies needed for our SROs,” Assistant Superintendent Adam Kinder said.
Indiana Rep. Ethan Lawson (R-Greenfield) said this year the Indiana Department of Homeland Security provided more than $26 million in grants to nearly 500 schools and corporations.
“We want Indiana students to have every opportunity to learn in an environment where they feel secure,” Lawson said. “Helping schools address safety needs is an important part of supporting that environment.”
Indiana Rep. Chris Jeter (R-Fishers) — whose district includes Fortville, McCordsville and the rest of northwestern Hancock County — said the matching grants can be used for a variety of safety measures, including hiring school resource officers, assessing site vulnerabilities, purchasing equipment and technology, and implementing bullying prevention.
“Every school has different circumstances, which is why this program gives local leaders the flexibility to invest where their communities need it most,” Jeter said. “These grants help schools take meaningful steps to strengthen safety before a crisis ever occurs.”
Indiana Rep. Cory Criswell (R-Middletown) — whose district includes southeastern Hancock County — said the program, established through legislation the General Assembly passed in 2013, provides matching grants to school corporations, accredited non-public schools and charter schools to help pay for critical safety improvements.
“Our teachers and school employees should have the support they need to do their jobs in a secure environment,” Criswell said. “This funding will give local schools another way to protect their classrooms and keep students safe.”
In 2025, House Republicans passed legislation moving the Office of School Safety to IDHS, centralizing safety efforts and providing added support and resources to schools. Visit in.gov/dhs/school-safety to learn more.
